Building-block.



' Patented May 2, 1911 RFZRSTWWWRS WILLIAM MYERS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

BUILDING-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 191.1.

Application filed August 31, 1908. Serial No. 450,957.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at, East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to artificial blocks of cement concrete, or the like, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

The invention in its preferred form comprises a block having int'erengaging PIOjGC.

tions and recesses at its ends, by means of which the blocks may be connected together, such projections being smaller than the recesses so that a space or spaces are left into which cement'may be poured. By this means the laying up of the blocks is made very easy, and may be cheaply done by unskilled labor.

Heretofore it has been found to be impractical to plaster directly upon the inner walls of concrete buildings because the concrete, being a good conductor of heat, is often much'colder than the air within the 'house, and condensation of moisture takes place tosnch an extent that. the house is unsanitary. Another disadvantage heretofore met with is tht the blocks are more or less porous, and moisture actually makes its way through the block to the interior. Both of these disadvantages are obviated by my invention, wherein-I preferably provide the block with a series of air spaces along one or both'of its sides, preferably in the form of passages such for instance as grooves in or near the face of the block, which passages not only provide dead air spaces, but if grooves are employed form a rough surface for receiving the plaster or other material. In any case there are ncferably provided portions of the block overlying the passages which either entirely prevent the entrance of the plaster into the passages or prevent the entire filling of the latter, so that effective dead air spaces are formed which prevent to an extent at least the transmission of heat and moisture.

Other features of improvement will be hereinafter described.

The blocks provi ed by my invention may also be provided with the usual large holes,

or in other words may be of the usual hollow constiaiction.

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ingr one form of the invention, Figure 1 is a plan of several bloclis,.Fig. 2 is a section of two blocks, one over the other, Fi s, 3 and i are similar sections, showing di 'erent formations of block, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of block, Fig. 6 is aview showing different forms of grooves,

Referring to the drawings let A indicata the block as a whole. In the construction shown the block is provided with two projections 15 B at one end and corresponding recesses C C at the other end. It is also provided with a recess D between the projections B B and a projection E between the recesses (.3 C. The projections B B of one block are designed to enter into the recesses G C of the next adjoining block. the prm jection E entering the recess D of the next the entire series of blocks of one course are bound 01 ilG(l together. 'Preferablyalso the projections and recesses are formed tl'iat the projections do not entirely fill-the recesses. whereby there is left a series or spaces into which cement may be poured or .tan1ped. Any suitable mortar or filling material may also be used.

lVhen the blocks are thus bound together so as to resist lateral separation that is to say a separation due to sidewise movement of the blocks, the several courses may be laid up without cement. according to this invention. To this end I form each block with a series of recesses or projections which ongage corresponding projections or recesses upon the blocks above and below it. Preferably such projections and recesses extend the full length of the block and are comparatively shallow and rounded in form so that they do not easily break. Figs. 2, 3 and 4; show several forms of such recesses. That shown in Fig. 2 comprises projections or ridges F F designed to enter grooves or do pressions G G. The bottom face of the block is correspondingly shaped.

An important feature of the invention of the llint'ii a series of dead all spaces.

Such spaces preferably comprise a series of I passages arranged preferably close to the ini ner surface of the block, and so constructed that the walls of the block overlie them so as to prevent the plaster from entering them or filling them up. I preferably also so form such passages that the walls thereof provide a rough surface adapted to hold the mortar or plaster so that the block may be directly plastered upon without the use ol' any intervening material. To these ends '1 preferably form the passages as grooves J, which are I preferably enlarged at their inner sides so that the slots K are son'iewhat Slll-ltlilOI. than the body of the grooves. In lllltlStfi-illllg on the inner side of a block thus formed the plaster penetrates somewhat into the groove, but not to such an extent that the grooves are materially reduced in volume. By this means there is formed on the inner side of the block a relatively large air space suhieient to prevent the rapid transmission of heat necessary to cause condensation. The outenside of the block is preferably also provided with similar grooves L designed to receive a coating of stucco or other plaster work. This may of course be on'iitted, but is desirable in that it produces a more finished appearance to the house. This avoids one of the chief objections to the use of concrete blocks for the use of residences in that it enables the artiticial appearance of the blocks to be concealed at very little expense and in a permanent manner. The transmis sion of moisture from the exterior to the in tcrior is also largely prevented by the groo'.'es L or other passages, these grooves forming dead air spaces similar to those afforded by the grooves J. Thegrooves ll. perform a double function in that they not only reduce the capacity of transmission of heat possessei'l by the block, but also tend to avoid the direct 'ieiiuitration ct moisture through the block. This is also llrjr Sttill by the coating of stucco if this is used.

The grooves J and L may he of any desired shape and size. Some of the possible shapes are illustrated in Fig. (3.

The usual air spaces M M may be pro vided in the block, or any other suitable spaces may be formed therein.

It will be understood that many changes may be made in the construction shown without departing from the invention. For instance it is not essential that the dead air spaces be in the form of grooves, as any other means may be employed to this end. So also the separate features of invention may be separately employed without departing from the invention.

hat I claim isi l. A lniilding block having closely eontignous to a side face thereof a series of passages constituting air spaces, closed on their .innersides, said block having portions on the outer sides of said passages extending over the latter to prevent the filling of said passages with plaster.

2. A buildingblock having closely contignous to a side face a series of air grooves, said grooves having reduced openings to the exterior, and being of sufficient depth to prevent the filling of said grooves during the plastering operation.

3. A building block having its ends provided with interlocking projections, and its upper and lower surfaces provided with interlocking projections, the interlocking projectio ns on the upper and lower surfaces extending over the end projections.

4. A building block having contiguous to a side thereof a .series of relatively deep passages having openings to the exterior which are narrow relatively to the depth of the passages, whereby the side of the block may be coated with plaster without the latter penetrating to the bottoms of the passages, so that air spacesare left in the plastcred block.

In witness l have hereunto signed my name in the presence ol' two snhsrribing witnesses.

\VILllTAM D. MYERS.

Wi tn esses EUGENE V. Mvnus, ll. \V. Mriqns. l 

